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Bank holiday fun: Hot Potato Records and Durham Streets

Laura Beth Salter
So far M and I are enjoying our new home in Durham - made it to see the Lindisfarne Gospels and had a fun trip in and around Alnwick. However for a pair of music fans the lack of a proper record shop is probably the biggest downside (although the lovely people at Spillers Records do have an online shop...). We were therefore very keen when I spied that the art & culture folk at Empty Shop were promoting a one-day pop-up record shop, Hot Potato Records.

Our first visit around midday saw the transformed premises (formerly used as Blockbuster on North Road) hosting a steady stream of customers browsing the racks of LPs and CDs from Newcastle based Reflex Records as well as labels Discount Horse, Box Records, Plan-It-X, Cruel Nature Records and more. Plus free tea and coffee! Enjoying the vibe and browsing away, between us we chose LPs by Sigur Rós, Bonobo, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club plus 5 curiosities from the bargain boxes. Mixed bag but 3 out of 5 good choices is pretty good! Particularly enjoyed the humour-full Lucy over Lancashire by Paul Rooney; and a very chilled Gallic electronic/lounge 10 inch entitled M Parvulesco by Symphony, about which Stereo Candies has a great article. 



Hot Potato Records
Strolling further around central Durham in tourist mode, we saw a few Streets performers near Elvet Bridge, including the excellent Laura Beth Salter after an ice cream at Split & Glory Ice Cream Parlour, swiftly followed by a small tipple at Hill Island Brewery. Returning to Hot Potato Records we caught Laura Beth performing a short set including a fun rendition of Milk Cow Blues. Her clear voice and mandolin-bases songs added to the relaxed, friendly vibe in the shop; new album Breathe is definitely worth investigating! 

Slowly but surely finding our feet.... 

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